Swiss Life Asset Managers acquires a stake in Helrom: What does this mean for our environment?

photo: Archives/Swiss Life Asset Managers acquires a stake in Helrom: What does this mean for our environment?

Swiss Life Asset Managers, the asset management division of the Swiss Life Group, has completed the acquisition of a significant equity stake in Frankfurt-based railway and technology company Helrom GmbH, which serves several European freight corridors and promotes climate-neutral long-haul transport.

Helrom offers its customers environmentally friendly transport with technology to achieve climate-neutral Net Zero transport in Europe. In this way, intermodal freight transport contributes to reducing carbon dioxide emissions and traffic congestion.

"One of the core pillars of Swiss Life Asset Managers' investment strategy is to contribute to the decarbonization of our society by supporting companies which have a positive impact on the environment. Our long-term view on the investment and the accumulated experience in the railway sector will provide strong support to Helrom in reaching its growth and development goals," says Christoph Manser, Head Infrastructure Equity International at Swiss Life Asset Managers.

In addition, by operating the Vienna-Düsseldorf railway corridor since January 2021, Helrom has successfully demonstrated a wagon technology concept that allows efficient loading of semi-trailers onto a rail wagon without the crane use or extensive terminal infrastructure. Now, driven by the significant unmet demand for semi-trailer rail transport, the company aims to expand the business to various routes throughout Europe, offering the market a unique degree of modernity and reliability.

Sinisha Ponzio, Infrastructure Portfolio Manager at Swiss Life Asset Managers, comments: "We are excited to start working with Helrom's experienced Management to contribute to the company's growth plans. As a long-term investor, we are delighted to add Helrom as one of our portfolio companies, as it represents a high-quality growth infrastructure asset. With Helrom being one of the innovation leaders in the cargo railway sector in Europe, Swiss Life Asset Managers is proving its continued confidence in the European transport economy."